I remember, as I was coming out of the daily prayer meeting in one of
our American cities a few years ago, a lady said she wished to speak
to me; her voice trembled with emotion, and I saw at once that she was
heavily burdened by something or other. She said she had long been
praying for her husband, and she wanted to know if I would go to see
him; she thought it might do him some good. What is his name?
"Judge---," and she mentioned one of the most eminent politicians in
the State. "I have heard of him," I said; "I am afraid I need not go,
he is a booked infidel; I cannot argue with him." "That is not what he
wants," said the lady. "He has had too much argument already. Go and
speak to him about his soul." I said I would, although I was not very
hopeful. I went to his house, was admitted to his room, and introduced
myself as having come to speak to him about salvation. "Then you have
come on a very foolish errand," said he; "there's no use in attacking
me, I tell you that. I am proof against all these things, I don't
believe in them."
Well, I saw it was no use arguing with him; so I said, "I'll pray for
you, and I want you to promise me that when you are converted you'll
let me know." "Oh, yes, I'll let you know," he said in a tone of
sarcasm. "Oh, yes, I'll let you know when I'm converted!" I left him,
but I continued to pray for him. Some time subsequently I heard that
the old judge was converted. I was again preaching in that city a
while after that, and when I had done talking the judge himself came
to me, and said: "I promised I'd let you know when I was converted; I
have come to tell you of it. Have you not heard of it?" "Yes; but I
would like to hear from you how it happened."
"Well," said the judge, "one night, some time after you called on me,
my wife had gone to the meeting; there was no one in the house but the
servants. I sat by the drawing-room fire, and I began to think:
Suppose my wife is right, that there is a heaven and a hell; and
suppose she is on the right way to heaven, where am I going? I just
dismissed the thought. But a second thought came: Surely He who
created me is able to teach me. Yes, I thought, that is so. Then why
not ask Him? I struggled against it, but at last, though I was too
proud to get down on my knees, I just said, 'Father, all is dark; Thou
who created me canst teach me.'
Somehow, the more I prayed the worse I felt. I was very sad. I did not
wish my wife to come home and find me thus, so I slipped away to bed,
and when she came into the room I pretended to be asleep. She got down
on her knees and prayed. I knew she was praying for me, and that for
many long years she had been doing so. I felt as if I could have
jumped up and knelt beside her; but no, my proud heart would not let
me, so I lay still, pretending to be asleep. But I didn't sleep that
night. I soon changed my prayer; it was now, 'O God, save me; take
away this terrible burden.'
I didn't believe in Christ even yet. I thought I'd go right straight
to the Father Himself. But the more I prayed I only became the more
miserable; my burden grew heavier. The next morning I did not wish to
see my wife, so I said 'I was not well, and wouldn't wait for
breakfast.' I went to the office, and when the boy came I sent him
home for a holiday. When the clerks came I told them they might go for
the day. I closed the office doors: I wanted to be alone with God. I
was almost frantic in my agony of heart. I cried to God to take away
this load of sin. At last I fell on my knees, and cried, 'For Jesus
Christ's sake take away this load of sin.' At length I went to my
wife's pastor, who had been praying with her for my conversion for
years, and the same minister who had prayed with my mother before she
died. As I walked down the street the verse that my mother had taught
me came into my mind, 'Whatsoever things ye desire, when ye pray,
believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.' Well, I
thought, I have asked God, and here I am going to ask a man. I won't
go. I believe I am a Christian. I turned and went home. I met my wife
in the hall as I entered. I caught her hand, and said, 'I am a
Christian now.' She turned quite pale; she had been praying for
twenty-one years for me, and yet she could not believe the answer had
come. We went into our room, and knelt down by the very bedside where
she had so often knelt to pray for her husband. There we erected our
family altar; and for the first time our voices mingled in prayer. And
I can only say that the last three months have been the happiest
months ever I spent in my life."
Since then that judge has lived a consistent Christian life; and all
because he came to God, asking for guidance.
If there is one here to-day whose mind is filled with such infidel
thoughts, go honestly to God, and He will teach you the right way
through the dark wilderness of infidelity. He won't leave you in
darkness or doubt. It is the devil's own work to lead men into such
doubts; well he knows if he once gets them there he has them pretty
safe.
It is Satan's work to keep you in ignorance or doubt. It is God's work
to teach you. The teacher is Christ; He is appointed by God for this
work. God help us all to accept Him as our teacher.
8. Now we have seen Christ as our Saviour, Redeemer, Deliverer,
Leader, Light, and Teacher. But He is still more; He is also